June 26th recap
Hot and humid conditions once again on Friday. Speed strong in sprints. Routes played fair. No turf races scheduled.
Two more wins for Francisco Torres .
My 9th race top Delta Cachet was hung out to dry in outside post, and she ended up a better than appears 4th. May graduate with better post next time.
We have added a Horses To Watch section in our live program, and Just Plain Wayne was my first one to run back. He got the job done in the 4th and paid $4.40.

June 27th preview
A 10-race card on tap for Saturday, and we have three turf races …read more

*** Main track continues to favor early/pressing types, but at a much lesser extent than previous weeks.
*** John Jacinto had a big week with 9 wins, and it could have been better had he not been DQ’d in Saturday’s 4th race. He teamed up with Pat Mouton for three of the winners, and with John Locke for a pair.
*** Apprentice Dustin Dugas got the ball rolling with a trio of winners on the week. Watch as the youngster gains more confidence and gets on better horses.
*** Morning Ridge and Mr. Canaveral share horse performance of the week honors. …read more

Louisiana Downs review: Saturday (July 19th)

I pulled off an odd handicapping feat on Saturday @ LA Downs. I swept the card ten race card with my selections, but the only problem was seven of my 2nd choices won, and my 3rd choices nabbed the other three races. My tops garnered a trio of place finishes and a show finish.
Kirk Leblanc was the riding star with four winners on the card, including a pair of stakes wins. A pair of wins for MC Berry and leading rider Don Simington.
The main track played fair, but sustained runners are still a …read more

I am settling in nicely and am already four weeks into my Louisiana Downs Track Handicapper/TV Host gig. The main track is playing fair this week with early/pressing types holding the edge as usual. Turf course fair with the rails down.
Thursday (7-17-08)…
Race 2: Farasino won her 3rd straight in easy fashion for leading owner Jan Haynes, leading trainer Jorge Lara, and barn $$ rider Lonnie Meche. Look for her to step up from the starter allowance ranks next time.
Race 3: Miss Zoomin Boone, my best bet on the card, fell too far back under Larry Taylor, and her …read more

The Sunday (July 13th) program at Louisiana Downs featured an impressive victory by a SoCal shipper, and I had another rock solid handicapping day with a trio of on-top winners. Let’s get to the highlights…
Race 1: My value oriented top Super Brad ($12.40) necked 3-5 fav BG Hi Hi Is Ben in the opener. The latter was only a 1/2 length ahead of the former a few starts back, so the odds discrepancy was a bit surprising. The track seemed to play on the fair side today. Francisco Torres booted home the winner.
Race 3: Huana Creek, my best …read more

I had a pretty good day handicapping the Saturday (July 12th) card at Louisiana Downs, as four of my tops got the job done, including Pursue A Dream ($13.00).
Race 4: 1.90-1 fav Jacobs Spirit made a wide winning bid around the far turn and briefly looked home free in early stretch, but he didn’t go on and weakened to 4th. Maybe this $7.5k level was a bit too much. Might drop back to winning $5k spot next time for leading trainer Jorge Lara.
Race 5: Pursue A Dream turned the tables on his rivals Lee’s Spirit and Lone Star …read more

The Friday (July 11th) card at Louisiana Downs was pretty much uneventful after the bombs away longshot fest on Thursday. Here are notes for the day that was…
Race 4: My top choice Song Production, 9-2 morning line, was dead on the board at 10.70-1, and she was hug out to dry from the outside post in the field of six. She made a wide bid to briefly get into 2nd in the lane, and she was outfinished for the show in a decent effort considering the ground lost.
Race 5: Mane Man, my best bet of the day, ran too …read more

My 3rd week as Louisiana Downs Track Handicapper started out in wild and wacky fashion to say the least. It was bombs away with winners paying $27.80 (race 2), $72.40 (race 3), $69.20 (race 4), $75.60 (race 8), and $49.80 (race 10). Both Pick 4’s paid on 2 of 4 winners…
Race 3: Tough trip for favorite Touch of Gray. He was going for a three-peat and figured to regress 3rd race off a long layoff. He steadied into the turn, dropped back, was boxed in and lacked room in the lane. He finally found racing space in late stretch and …read more

The speed biased surface that was present on Sunday (June 29th) has disappeared as expected, but early/pressing types continue to make up the bulk of winners at most if not all distances on the main track.
July 3rd @ Louisiana Downs
Nice win by Andrew Leggio firster Flamingo Key in the opener. He came in early and made a good looking 4-wide move to prove much the best. My top Polite never got involved after some trouble in the early going. I think he needs a drop in class.
Pleasantly Blessed (race 4) figures to try stakes foes after dispatching of …read more

The final day of my first week of work at Louisiana Downs produced a pronounced speed bias, with inside lanes holding the edge. There were eight virtual wire-to-wire winners, with Pyrite Ghost in the finale the only off the pace type to score. Also, in at least six races the top two stayed that way throughout.
Here are notes and horses to watch from the Sunday (June 29th) card…
Race 3: Off the turf five furlong sprint. Doyouwanttodance took full advantage of the inside speed bias. Heavy fav Steamy Ridge tracked throughout and could have easily scored if post positions were …read more